"It was a historic moment": NASCAR executive reflects on 'unmatched' fan reactions amid hopeful Mexico return

NASCAR's Cup debut in Mexico City was a huge success, according to its executive vice president Ben Kennedy. The Viva Mexico 250 produced a dramatic showdown on the track and a festive atmosphere in the stands, and Kennedy described it as a key milestone in the sport's ongoing expansion into international markets.

The event, held at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Sunday (June 15) drew a passionate crowd. Kennedy, who is also the chief venue and racing innovation officer for NASCAR, looked back at the weekend during the post-race press conference (via Cup Scene):

"If there's one word that I would use to describe this weekend, it's proud. Today wasn't just a race. This was a historic moment for our sport, for Mexico, and for the global motorsports community, and there were a lot of folks that came together to be able to make this event happen." (00:40 onwards)

Shane van Gisbergen dominated the Cup Series race to win by a 16.57-second margin, shattering multiple records. Meanwhile, fans cheered when their hometown hero Daniel Suárez took the Xfinity Series' Chilango 150 win from the back.

Ben Kennedy insisted this weekend was not just another race for NASCAR, but a breakthrough moment for the sport's future. The Cup Series race was the first points race that took place outside the US since 1958. He explained how OCESA, a Mexican promotions team, played a key role in making it a success and handled the logistics of moving 100+ haulers across the border.

Ben Kennedy, Executive Vice President with Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez in Mexico. Source: Getty

He also thanked NASCAR's broadcast partners Fox Mexico, Amazon Prime, Televisa, and CW for the weekend. However, it was the passionate fans in the arena that caught his eye.

"One of the coolest parts about this weekend is seeing the reaction from the fans... The energy and the passion of the fans here are unmatched and we had a lot of fans come in from the United States. We had a ton of fans from Mexico. 90% of the people that came to this event were from Mexico, 44% from Mexico City." (02:29 onwards)

While there were logistical challenges for the Mexico Cup race, Kennedy felt the race weekend delivered as they had hoped overall. He insisted the city, the fans, the track, and OCESA all came together to produce something special, a weekend that could pave the way for future events in Mexico.

NASCAR 'hopeful' of return to Mexico amid its growing appeal in North America

Daniel Suarez (99) and Ty Gibbs (54) during the Cup Series Viva Mexico 250. Source: Getty

As Formula 1, Formula E, and IndyCar grow their presence in North America, Ben Kennedy insisted NASCAR stands unique in its appeal. He stressed that their bold, aggressive product is a key selling point and connects directly with fans through its raw, action-oriented format.

While Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass believes NASCAR will return to Mexico next year, Kennedy has not yet committed to the fixture. However, he made it clear this weekend could be the start of something much bigger (via Cup Scene):

"We've been bold and we've been innovative. We've done things like races in downtown Los Angeles and building a temporary stadium there. First ever street race in our sport's history in downtown Chicago. And this was the next milestone moment for us, bringing a race internationally. And I can tell you we're very bold about continuing to bring our NASCAR Cup Series internationally. Mexico is a great place to do it. This weekend is a great example of that and I would say we're very hopeful to be here, long term." (4:05 onwards)

NASCAR's venture into Mexico City was a natural next step in a string of ambitious moves made in recent years. The sport successfully turned the Los Angeles Coliseum into a quarter-mile race in 2022. They also transformed the streets of Chicago into a 2-mile road course in 2023, proving it can break from tradition and bring stock car action directly into iconic metropolitan settings.

These events drew diverse crowds and demonstrated NASCAR's ability to connect with a new generation of fans, a trajectory that the Mexico City race is now a key part of.